


About Them

by starblossxm



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drunk! Keith and Pidge, Keith and Lance are dormmates, M/M, Mention of Shiro/Lance, Mentions of alcohol, Oblivious Lance (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-06-21 17:52:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15563229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starblossxm/pseuds/starblossxm
Summary: It's Spring Vacation and Pidge's dormmate is leaving to visit their family. Since she lives in the worst dorm ever, she asks if she can crash at her friends' place.Two weeks living with Keith and Lance were expected to be hectic and that she'd be forced to hear their bickering and fighting. The opposite happened.





	About Them

**Author's Note:**

> So! Originally, I posted this on my wattpad (naomibxtch) as a one-shot for AU AUGUST! I wasn't expecting the write this much for it but I got addicted to the idea and loved it! I hope you guys enjoy this small thing.

"My roommate, Allura, is leaving for Spring vacation to see her family," Pidge sighed, grabbing her smoothie from Hunk. Without hesitation, she took a big sip from it, instantly recoiling. "Brainfreeze," she whispered before putting her cup back down on the table.

Hunk smiled, nodding. "I'm going home for vacation too," he said.

Pidge groaned, dragging her hands down her face. "My parents are still stuck in Italy until the weather clears, and Matt is going to visit his friends from his old college. I don't want to be alone this break in my dormitory- you know how many break-ins have happened in my dormitory this year? Seven!" Pidge slammed her fist against the table in emphasis, standing up from her chair. "Seven! Hunk, that's not normal!"

Hunk glanced up from the table with a tired expression. "So, you're looking for someone who's staying on campus this break to stay with?"

She eagerly nodded. "Yes, yes! I'm not even kidding, I don't think I can be on my own for two weeks!"

A huff of a chuckle escaped Hunk. He paused and raised a hand to his mouth in a poor attempt to hide his laughter.

"Understandable," was all he managed to say before chuckling again. Pidge frowned, squinting at him with one of the most disagreeable faces she could conjure up.

"I'm pretty sure Keith and Lance are staying for vacation, I don't think they'd mind letting you stay at their place," Hunk finally said once he stopped laughing.

Quirking her head in interest, Pidge shrugged. "I wouldn't mind, but that means I'd have to deal with their constant bickering." She rolled her eyes dramatically, popping her tongue. "Seriously, every time we're out, all those two do is fight or try to outdo each other. Imagine how bad it must be when they're home."

Pulling his phone out, Hunk gave her a half-assed smile. "That's true, I'll admit, those two are the worst together. The only time I've been at their dorm was to pick Lance up for the day, and Keith was still sleeping."

Pulling his phone closer to his face, Hunk typed in his best friend's number. Putting the call on speakerphone, he put his phone in the middle of their table.

The phone rang several times before someone picked up. There was a lot of rustling and movement from the other end.

"Hey?" Hunk greeted, leaning closer over the table. The movement paused for a second before starting again.

"Hunk?" Keith's voice greeted.

"Uh- yeah, this is Hunk! Why do you have Lance's phone?" Pidge and Hunk looked up at each other with puzzled expressions.

"He told me to get his phone for him. He said it was  _too far_."

"It was!"

"No, it wasn't! It was on the counter, you're literally sitting on the back of the couch-"

Rustling echoed on their side of the line again before Lance greeted them friendlier. "Well look who it is, my bestest buddy in the world! What can I do for ya?"

"Hey, Lance," Pidge greeted. She leaned her elbows on the table and nestled her chin in her hands.

"I was wondering if you and Keith- or at least one of you- was staying on campus for Spring vacation?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm staying. I don't have enough for a ticket to Cuba this year," Lance responded quickly. "Keith's staying too. It's not like he has anything better to do."

A loud slap was heard and Lance shrieked. "Ouch! I'm being honest!"

The mic was covered as Keith responded. His response sounded muffled and incoherent to Hunk and Pidge, leaving them to question what was happening.

"Uh, okay..." Pidge coughed in an attempt to get their attention again. "My dorm buddy is leaving and I don't have anyone to stay with- would you guys mind if I crashed at your place for vacation, or would that be too much?"

"Yes! You're totally welcome to crash at our place! It'll be like a two-week sleepover!" Lance screamed out in response.

"Oh dear lord," Pidge exhaled in laughter. "Thank you guys so much. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure!"

"Sweet! Thanks again!"

* * *

Pidge showed up at their dorm twelve in the afternoon the following day. Lance answered the door, wearing blue jeans and a cut sleeveless hoodie. His hair was styled neatly and the smell of bacon and pancakes spewed from the dorm.

"Hey, good morning Pidgey!" Lance greeted her with a warm smile as he opened the door for her. She nodded as she grabbed the handle of her suitcase, stepping into the unusually warm dorm.

"Morning," she replied before yawning. "Well, technically, good afternoon!" She corrected herself, adjusting her glasses as she turned to face Lance. He shut the door behind her, crossing his arms against his chest as he leaned against the hallway wall.

"Thank you again for letting me crash at your place, my dormitory is  _so_  unsafe and I don't really have the money to go and travel."

"Hey, don't even mention it. You did luck out on getting assigned to the shady dorm, and you're like, my little sister."

Smiling as big as she could, despite waking up just thirty minutes ago, Pidge motioned to her luggage. "So- uh, where should I-"

Before she could finish, Lance motioned behind her. She turned, seeing the open slide closet behind her. The inside was neat. Hanging up on the top was Lance's daily jacket, two winter jackets, Keith's biker jacket, and a black leather jacket Pidge never remembered seeing either of the two wear. Though, she assumed it was Keith's.

Looking down at the bottom of the closet she looked at the shoes neatly lined up on the far right of the closet, closest to the door. Lance and Keith's shoes were lined up together, an oddly mundane thing to Pidge.

Turning over her shoulder to see Lance still there, she placed her luggage to the left side of the closet and toes off her converse, putting them on top of the suitcase.

"Now that we have that settled, let me show you around!"

Following Lance wordlessly down the hall, Pidge unzipped her jacket. "Why is it so hot in here? It's like, fifty out."

"Keith likes keeping the place warm when he's sleeping," he simply responded, like it was something she  _should have known_.

"Oh, okay," she simply responded as she shrugged off her green zip up, tying it around her waist.

The first room down the hall was the bathroom. "You're welcome to use it whenever. Keith and I don't usually use that one anyway."

Turning, at the end of the hall, they ushered themselves into the living room. There was an open kitchen at the back with a bar and three stools on the other side. In the living room, there was a large roomy couch, two bean bag chairs, a large television along with a huge entertainment center, and a rack filled with games.

On the other side of the living room there was an open door and then another small hallway.

"I hope you don't mind crashing in the living room. We won't bother you much," Lance insisted. "The couch is also really comfy."

Walking past the couch, Pidge leaned over the back of it, pushing her hand on it. It was soft and instantly her hand sunk into the cushion.

"Dammit, this is better than my dorm mattress."

Lance scoffed in laughter.

"This is Keith's room," Lance motioned to the open door. Peaking into the room, Pidge noticed the lights off. The bed was bare, the black sheets askew. She would have assumed his room to be bare and lifeless but it was exactly the opposite. He had several posters hanging up, a blue and purple lava lamp on his desk, stacks of books and weird trinkets lining his window.

"Where is Keith anyway?"

Her question was left unanswered as he walked down the small hallway to the closed door. Opening the door slightly, he leaned into the room for a second before opening the door all the way, turning the light on as he did.

"And this is my room!"

To her surprise once again, the room was tidy and put together. The galaxy printed sheets of his bed were made, the books and whatever weird trinkets he had lined up neatly on his desk. There was a blue shaggy rug in the middle of the room, and a dark oak door off to the left wall.

"That's my bathroom," he pointed out before leaning back in and turning the lights off quickly before shutting the door.

Turning back out of the room, Pidge followed him back into the living room. "You're just in time for breakfast."

"Ah, yes, just like any sensible college student, having breakfast at twelve in the afternoon!" Pidge clapped her hands in praise as she climbed up the bar stool.

"In my defense, I've been awake since nine. It's Keith who doesn't get his ass up until one."

"Excuses, excuses," Pidge muttered, shaking her head in disappointment. "Besides, I'm surprised you're not the one who doesn't sleep in so late. You're all about  _beauty sleep_  and whatever."

"I do enjoy my beauty sleep, that's why I go to bed at ten, unlike  _some_  people," Lance scoffed in response as he wandered back into the kitchen, turning the stove off and grabbing three plates from the overhead cabinet.

"We got bacon, eggs, toast, and pancakes."

"I'll have bacon and pancakes, please," Pidge hummed, watching as Lance carefully made the plates.

On one plate, Lance carefully set three pieces of bacon and two pancakes on it. On another, he put two pieces of bacon, one pancake, and almost all the eggs on it. On the last, he put the rest of the bacon and pancakes on it.

Turning around, Lance handed Pidge over the first plate, giving her a knife and fork as well.

"Oh heck yeah, this smells so good."

"Hunk taught me how to cook everything last year when we were roommates. Probably not as good as his stuff, but, yeah!"

He placed the other two plates on the table, along with the plate of toast. Pulling a stool from his side, he sat a seat and across away from Pidge, already digging into his food.

Ten or so minutes later, Pidge heard the soft pitter patter of feet from the hallway. Perking her head up, she saw Keith walking down the hallway. He was wearing gray sweatpants, a white tank top, and his hair was wet, put up into a messy ponytail.

Something she never saw from him in the past seven years she knew him.

"Hey, Keith," she greeted once she swallowed her mouth full of bacon. He looked up at her for a moment, rubbed his eyes, and smiled.

"Hey," he responded, walking over to them. He pulled himself up onto the stool beside her and across from Lance.

It was silent for a minute as Keith picked up his fork, reaching beside Lance to grab a piece of toast.

"Have you seen my glasses? I didn't leave them on the bathroom counter and they weren't on my window when I woke up."

Pidge side-eyed the two.

"I put them in your nightstand, I found them on the floor last night in the bathroom. I also cleaned the lenses."

Keith hummed, taking a bite of toast. "Thank you," he mumbled around the toast.

"Yeah, no problem."

Pidge just stared at the two for a moment longer, finding it a bit harder to swallow.

* * *

That night as Pidge was laying on their incredibly comfortable couch, somewhere between two and three in the morning, she heard Keith's bedroom snap open.

She held her breath, closing her eyes slightly. The television was running, the lighting from it being the only thing shining in the living room.

For a moment, she felt like a child, pretending to sleep to avoid having to encounter an odd conversation.

She watched through squinted eyes as a disheveled Keith looked her way, paused, and exhaled sharply. From there, he took off down the hall.

She opened her eyes fully again, pulling herself up to the arm of the couch to rest her head on.

A few seconds later, she heard the tail tell knocking of a door.

 _"Lance, are you awake?"_  Keith's tiny and tired voice traveled from down the hall. No less than a moment later, she heard another door open.

 _"Keith, it's three in the morning, what's wrong?"_  Lance's voice echoed next. He sounded tired, but not mad.

_"There's a huge ass spider in my room- can you come and kill it please-"_

_"Oh my god, this again-"_

_"I'm not kidding this time! It was on the ceiling above me-"_

_"Uh-huh, move it."_

Pidge snapped her eyes almost shut again, squinting. She watched as Keith skeeted back down the hall, still wearing the clothes he was in from this morning. Lance followed after him, only wearing a pair of dark blue shorts, his shirt discarded who knows where.

She watched as he walked into Keith's room, turned the light on, and looked at the floor. He bent down, picking up a shoe before disappearing out of her sight.

Keith stayed at the door frame, holding onto the side of it like a lifeline.

_'Holy fuck this thing is huge!"_

"What did I tell you!"

Lance quickly shushed him before a loud  _thwack_  was heard.

_"Oh my God- right over my bed-"_

_"I think this was a mommah spider, Keith-"_

_"Nope, bye, I'm taking your room tonight."_

Like that, Keith went rushing down the hall again, slamming another door open. When Lance came out of Keith's room a few minutes later with a paper towel and the top black sheet of Keith's bedding, Pidge sat up now, pretending to wipe the sleep from her eyes.

"Hey- what's going on?" She questioned.

Lance startled, flinching slightly before looking over to her. "Sorry if we woke you up!" He whisper shouted quickly before tossing the paper towel in the trash of the living room. "Keith saw a spider in his room and asked me to kill it. Bad thing, that thing had eggs in it and now I gotta clean his sheets."

She nodded slowly, trying to suppress a laugh.

"So, where's Keith then?" She questioned for the second time within the past twenty-four hours.

"My room, probably," he shrugged before walking down the hall.

That was the last he saw of either the two that night.

* * *

Pidge woke up the next morning to laughter.

Sitting up from the couch, she groaned slightly before looking at Keith's opened door.

On the floor, she saw Keith and Lance sitting down. Keith was sitting in front of Lance, basically leaning back onto him as he brushed his hair.

_What the fuck._

"Your hair looks nice with braids."

"Oh, thanks, like you haven't already told me that twenty times the past month."

"What, I gotta be real with you, as much shit as I give you with your hair, I literally love it."

"Yeah, and that's why you always call me  _mullet_  in public."

"The entire world doesn't need to know that I, Lance McClain, have a weak spot for my  _best friend's_  hair."

Pidge sat there for a moment in silence, trying to take in whatever she was seeing and hearing.

* * *

Later that day, Lance had managed to drag both Keith and Pidge to the Spring Farmers Market not too far from campus.

So yeah, they  _walked_.

Pidge was stuck walking behind the two of them. They were walking side-by-side, talking about some show they watch together.

She couldn't have been any more confused than she was today.

When they got to the farmers market, Pidge was absolutely silent as she followed the two around the stalls. She, in no way, could wrap her head around why they were being so overly friendly with each other.

When they stopped at a flower crown stall, Lance asked them to wait as he looked through the crowns.

In the end, he strolled back up to her and Keith with a yellow crown from her and a purple crown for him.

A red flower crown was already on Lance's head as he handed Pidge her crown with a smile.

When he turned to Keith, he put the crown on him himself, adjusting his hair around it and fixing the flowers.

"Wow, that brings out your eyes," Lance laughed, brushing his hands over Keith's bangs one final time before pulling away.

Pidge stuck her own crown on, eyebrows drew down so hard that her forehead felt sore.

Keith  _smiled_  back at him before reaching up to adjust Lance's flower crown.

Pidge wanted to scream.

* * *

The next night, Pidge was laying on the couch while Keith and Lance sat on their bean bag chairs together. They were watching a horror movie.

At some point, Pidge found herself nodding off from boredom.

When she saw Lance shriek and surge over to Keith's lap, her eyes shot open.

"Holy fuck you're such a baby."

"I'm not a baby!"

"Mhm, wanna say that again to the person who's literally cradling you in their arms?"

A muffled "no" escaped him as he turned over in Keith's lap, laying down carefully. Keith didn't push him off or look at him with disgust.

Instead, he rubbed circles into Lance's arm as they continued to watch the movie.

* * *

It was half a week into vacation when Pidge called Hunk.

"I can't do this," Pidge automatically said as their call connected.

"Is there fighting and bickering already getting to you? I thought you would have lasted longer, honestly?"

"No, I mean, I can't crack this code," she whispered now, staring at the bathroom door.

"What code?"

"I haven't heard these two once actually get into a fight, and I swear to god, we watched a horror movie the other night and Keith was basically holding Lance in his arms."

Hunk was silent for a moment.

He exhaled loudly.

"What do you mean holding him?"

"I mean like, Lance was in his lap, holding onto his arms while Keith rubbed circles into his arms. Oh god- and let's not forget how Lance braids his hair in the morning, or kills spiders for him, or makes him breakfast! Or how Keith looks at Lance with just this fondness- We got flower crowns the other day, and they were helping each other adjust them- oh my god, I almost crawled out of my skin, Hunk! I haven't heard them yell or scream at each other in days! I think something's wrong with them!"

"Do you think they only fight when we're all around them because we pressure them or something?"

"I- I don't think so? Maybe this is how they always are together and they just feel more comfortable together- you know how weird they are with social interaction-" Pidge paused, hiccuping.

"Oh, yeah, and I heard Keith and Lance calling each other their best friend."

Hunk screamed.

Loudly.

* * *

"Pidge, do you like makeup?" Lance questioned from the bathroom.

"Sure, I guess. I'll wear it sometimes." She shrugged in response, sitting up on the couch.

"I may do some cosmetics next semester- get in here and look at this!"

She heard Keith's groan echo off the bathroom walls. Slowly, she plucked herself off the couch and walked into the hall to the main bathroom.

"I think you poked my eye-"

"No, I didn't."

"No, my eye feels like it's bleeding, Lance."

"You eye isn't bleeding-"

"My eye is bleeding!"

Pidge, god bless her soul, stepped into the bathroom doorway. Lance kneeled in front of the toilet where Keith was sitting with a bottle of mascara.

When Keith looked up at Pidge, he was wearing eyeliner, mascara, light lipstick, and highlighter.

"So, how did I do?" Lance looked up smugly, dropping the mascara in his hand into this blue bag he had on the floor. "I think he looks  _pretty!_ "

Lance reached up quickly, catching Keith's face in one hand and squeezed his cheeks, causing him to pucker his lips out.

_" Rm gonna kill chu."_

A breathy snort escaped Pidge.

"Yeah, he does look pretty."

* * *

It was the start of the second week when Pidge walked down the hall to Lance's room and saw both him and Keith laying on his bed, sharing earbuds and watching something off Lance's computer.

She knocked on the doorframe slowly.

"Oh, hey, Morning Pidgey," Lance greeted, plucking the earbud out of his ear and waving.

Keith waved in her direction, slapping Lance's hand out of his face to continue watching whatever was on the screen.

"So, uh, what are you two doing?"

"Watching our show," Keith automatically responded, sitting up slightly with eyes glued to the screen.

"You were still sleeping, so we didn't want to bother you!" Lance smiled warmingly as he pushed Keith's chest down and forced him to lay down.

"Move in front of the screen again and I swear I'll cut your mullet off."

"No you won't," Keith cackled, finally taking his attention away from the screen.

"You're right, I won't, but it's still a valid threat so move it."

Pidge walked out of the room real quick.

* * *

Halfway through the second week, Pidge found herself walking into the apartment after walking to the convenient store to buy her and Keith soda and snacks. Lance was against soda, saying it was "bad for your body".

When she got back, she wasn't expecting a half drunk and crying Keith to be spewed over the countertop.

"Woah, hey, buddy, I was gone for like an hour and a half, what happened?" Pidge smiled wearily as she put her bag on the counter.

Keith hiccuped in response at first, rolling his eyes as he chugged whatever was left in his beer bottle.

"Mmm, forgot Lance was going out tonight with someone," he slurred in a rasp. He hiccuped again, head lolling to the side.

Pidge quirked her head.

She didn't know Lance had a date tonight.

"Doesn't Lance go on dates frequently?" She asked, slowly reaching over to rub Keith's arm.

"Yeahhhhh," Keith responded, already moving away from her touch to grab something under the counter. She supposed it was another beer bottle.

"Woah, how many of those have you had in the past hour?"

"Like... m'seven?"

"How about we drink some water?" She slowly grabbed the bottle from his hand, walking over to the sink to grab a cup instead.

"So, why does Lance going on a date make you upset? He does it all the time?"

Keith hiccuped again, failing to get up on the bar stool and slipping down it. "Uh huh, he does... M'always like this on those nights."

He hiccuped again, this time just aimlessly slumping to the floor.

Pidge swirled around with a full cup of water, causing the water to spill down her shirt.

"Why? Aren't you happy he's seeing people? I thought he was like, your best friend?"

"Of course m'happy for him... it's just- mmm..." He paused, sniffing deeply as he wiped his eyes. "Oh god, I love him so much- and it's so hard watching him with others that do nothing but break his heart..."

The plastic cup in Pidge's hand dropped.

Hard.

And water spilled  _everywhere._

"Oh..." she gasped, hands falling to her side.

"You're in love with him."

Keith nodded, more tears rolling down his cheeks.

* * *

Lance returned to the apartment two hours later. He was sober, clearly tired, and his clothes were slightly disheveled.

When he made his way into the living room, Keith and Pidge were laying on the couch together, drinking whatever beer was under the counter, both sobbing over a documentary that was on the television.

"Oh, hello to you guys too?" Lance rose an eyebrow, picking up one of the empty beer bottles off the ground.

"Shut up and go to bed or s'mthin!" Pidge shouted, arms around Keith like a stuffed animal.

Lance rose an eyebrow at the two. "What's wrong?"

Keith rose his head as much as he could. "How was your date?"

Lance shrugged in response, walking around the couch. "Fine... What happened with you two? I expect this shit from Keith, but really Pidge? You too?"

Pidge sighed, snuggling closer into Keith's back. "Y're so loud..."

Keith hiccuped, settling back down on the couch.

Lance stared at the two for a moment before pulling his phone. "I'll just let you two be..."

Pidge lifted her head slightly and watched as Lance walked over to Keith's room and shut the door before continuing down to his room.

_"Hey- Hunk?"_

* * *

When Pidge woke up the following morning, she was cold and her head hurt.

"What, are you two dating or something?" Lance's voice was loud, sounding on the verge of hysterics.

When she squinted her eyes open, Keith was sitting on a beanbag in front of her, face buried in his hands.

Lance was crouched in front of him like he was reading to scold him as if he were a child.

"What have you that idea?" Keith tilted his head up. His eyes were red-rimmed. "Why would that even bother you?" His voice was filled with tiredness.

"I mean, the second I leave you two are cuddling and drinking! What else am I supposed to think? And- it doesn't bother me?"

Keith stared up at him unimpressed.

"Okay, then why the hell did you wake me up shaking to talk about this?"

Lance shrugged, waving his hands in front of his face. "I don't know!"

Keith automatically slapped his arm. "Stop being so fucking loud."

"Stop being so difficult!"

"I'm not being difficult."

"Then can you just tell me why?"

"Why what, Lance? What do you need to know  _this_  time?"

"Why were you two drinking? Why were you cuddling? Why is that you always drink when I leave?"

For a second, Pidge really thought Keith was going to tell him. He stared up at him with hopeful eyes, eyebrows drew down in question.

He remained silent. For his sake, Pidge sat up. "Keith?" Both Lance and Keith snapped their heads toward her.

Keith hummed, rubbing the sides of his face. "We should talk." Lance was staring daggers at her. "Like, right now."

Keith and Pidge shuffled into Keith's room in just seconds, leaving Lance sitting in the living room with a perplexed expression.

When Pidge turned around to shut Keith's door, Lance was staring at them with a longing look.

"When are you going to tell him?" Pidge whipped around with her hands on her hips.

"Tell him what?" Keith responded as he shuffled over to his bed, throwing his blankets off to the side so he could lay down.

Raising an eyebrow at him as he rolled into bed, she followed after him. "Tell him you like him? You know, the thing we talked about last night?"

He groaned. "Never. I've been keeping it to myself for  _two years_. It was a misfortunate event that I just so happenly got drunk while you were staying with us. Just, don't tell anyone, okay? Everything will go back to normal in like two or three days."

Wordlessly, Pidge stared at his back.

So many pieces were clicking in her head. Why Keith and Lance would fight randomly. Why Keith looked  _so happy_  when he was with Lance. Why they hadn't fought once until Lance went out on a date.

She stared at him for another moment before turning around and crossing her arms against her chest.

Her heart plummeted to her stomach. She knew Keith was stubborn and because of it, he was hiding so much.

* * *

Everything was tense that day and the following day. Lance was nowhere to be seen. Keith hung out in the living room with Pidge, playing whatever game she wanted. They talked a lot. Pidge couldn't remember the last time she heard Keith talk so much to just  _her_.

"I made dinner reservations at that nice restaurant down the street," Keith mentioned a few hours into their gaming session.

"Tonight?"

"Yeah. Lance likes going there so we go at least once every month."

Turning around on the couch, she made sure the coast was clear of Lance before she turned back around and leaned closer to Keith.

"So, like, date night?"

Keith nudged her side with a slight smile. She laughed in response, falling over the arm of the chair.

"I wish."

Pidge turned back up to him, taking in his expression. It was soft, a smile still lingering on his face, eyebrows upturned, and eyes crinkled at the sides.

"Well, fuck."

* * *

****They walked their way to the restaurant. Lance stayed a good foot or two in front of Keith and Pidge who were standing side by side. It was a major contrast to just days ago.

Pidge couldn't help but frown.

When they made it to the restaurant,  _The Altea_ , they were seated in a booth. Lance sat across from Keith and Pidge.

That was the first time in the past two days that Pidge got a good look at Lance. He looked tired, slight bags under his eyes, but other than that, emotionless.

"Good afternoon guys, my name is Shay, and I'll be your waitress tonight!"

At the side of the booth, Pidge was greeted by a hefty smile. A very tall woman stood in front of her, hair put up into boxer braids, eyes sparkling blue, and her skin fairly dark. She wore a black t-shirt with black pants and a blue apron.

"Can I get you all started with drinks?"

"Water, please," Pidge smiled, picking up her menu finally.

"A root beer," Keith said from beside her, flipping through her menu.

"I'll just have a lemonade." Lance smiled up at their waitress.

That's when everything went downhill, fast.

"Oh, hey Lance! It's nice to see you again. Wasn't expecting to see you again so soon!"

Keith dropped his menu, looking up with confusion.

Lance looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"It's nice to see you too, Shay." He forced himself to keep the smile on his face as he shifted in his seat.

"I was going to ask, how is Shiro? I saw you two leave and forgot to ask how he's been! I haven't seen him here in forever, and he used to be a regular! You could have guessed my shock when you two walked in the other night."

Lance looked filled with alarm like he wanted her to stop talking.

Pidge felt Keith shift beside her.

"You need to move, right now," Keith said breathlessly into her ear.

She turned, eyes wide as she saw Keith's expression. He looked like he wanted to hurl.

Quickly, Pidge scampered out of the booth. "Excuse me..." Pidge murmured as she stepped around Shay.

Like that, Keith was literally running out of the booth. Pidge suspected he was going to the bathroom. When she turned around she saw Lance standing up too.

"Shit... shit... shit..." He was muttering as he put his napkin on the table.

Shay looked so confused. "Did I say something wrong?" She asked in alarm.

"I think you did..." Pidge replied for Lance as she sat down in the booth again, hands curling on her lap. "Lance? You  _seriously_  went on a date with Keith's brother? Without even telling him?  _Really?_ " Pidge felt her throat tightening, but she could only guess how Keith felt at the moment.

"No! No, I swear it's not like that!" He replied, hands up.

_"I'll just... leave you guys be for now..."_

Shay ducked out on them, leaving Pidge and Lance to stare at each other.

Pidge wiped her hands on her jeans. "Then tell me, what is it like?"

"I can't tell you-"

"Then how else am I supposed to take it? How else is  _he_  supposed to take it?" She questioned, slight anger boiling in her. "Okay like, look, I have nothing against who you date or go out with but you shouldn't hide that stuff from Keith. That's his brother..."

"No, Pidge, I swear it's not like that," Lance started again, looking on the verge of hysterics.

He tottered out of the booth, rushing down the same direction Keith went. Pidge sighed, wiping her hands against her jeans once again before she stood up and followed him.

The restaurant was huge, almost like a maze. By the time they stopped, Lance was rushing into the men's bathroom.

Awkwardly, Pidge waited in the hallway, thankful that a wall blocked off the view from the rest of the restaurant.

She leaned against the wall with her arms across her chest, listening.

There was a sink running.

_"Keith? Can we talk for a second-"_

_"Lance. Get your hands off me."_

_"Sorry- sorry..."_

There was a pause and the sink turned off.

_"Look, I know what it seemed like-"_

_"That you secretly went on a date with my older brother without saying anything to me? Then got on my case for thinking Pidge and I was secretly dating? Uh-huh."_

_"But it's not like that-"_

_"I think we should have this conversation later-"_

_"Can you at least turn around?"_

_"Lance- seriously, don't touch me-"_

It went silent for a second. Dead silent.

_"Why are you crying?"_

_"I said don't touch me. We can talk about this later."_

_"Keith, please. I didn't go on a date with Shiro, we were just talking! You weren't supposed to know, so I just lied that it was a date! You can ask Shiro yourself, I swear."_

The bathroom door opened slowly. Keith stepped out, tears streaming down his face. Pidge felt her stomach do somersaults at the sight.

Lance surged after him, tears welling in his eyes.

"Please, I swear to God Keith," Lance whispered.

Keith turned to face him, hands coming up to wipe the tears from his face. "Lance, I'm seriously over this. Can we just  _drop it-_ "

"I asked if we could talk about  _you._ "

Keith paused, hands still on his face.

"He said we should meet here and he'd talk with me. It's not like I have any family here I can talk to when they're all in Cuba. Shiro was the best choice to talk about this issue because he knows both of us." Lance paused, breath stuttering as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Do you understand how hard this is? Having to see you every day and not know how you really feel about me? Because one moment you're calling me your best friend and the next we're getting into shit like this monthly over my dates! I've been so frightened to ruin our friendship that it feels like I've been walking on hot stones for the past year!"

It felt like everyone was holding their breath at once. The tension in the air was thick.

"What are you trying to say?"

"What am I trying to say?" Lance repeated as he threw his hands aimlessly. "I'm trying to tell you that I really, really like you, more than just as a friend! But fuck, you confuse me so much. I confuse  _myself_! And it feels like for a year straight I take a step forward then two steps back with how I feel about you and how I want to go about it and-"

Keith scooped Lance into his arms, engulfing him in a hug. A hiccup of a sob escaped him as Lance slowly wrapped his arms around him in return.

"I love you, so much, that it physically hurts me," Keith said, deflating as he literally melted into Lance's touch.

It was silent for a minute as the two collected themselves, wiping the tears off their faces.

"Well, that was unexpected..." Pidge murmured from beside them, awkwardly fidgeting. "Now that we have this settled... can we go return to our seats?"

The two laughed, nodding in response. When they made it back to the booth, Pidge sat across from the two.

Everything was fine after that.

Pidge couldn't help but smile more than she normally would.

* * *

At the end of the week, Lance drove the three of them to The Garrison airport to pick up both Allura and Hunk.

The three waited at the baggage claim. Lance and Keith were talking about their show, which Pidge finally figured out was Blue Bloods. She listened contently in front of the two, keeping her eyes trained on the escalators.

A flash of neon finally struck her eye after twenty minutes of waiting.

Within seconds, she was watching Hunk zoom down the escalator with a bright smile. Collecting herself, she bolted toward him with her arms outstretched.

"Hunk!"

"Pidgey!"

The two ran into each other, hugging.

"Did those two drive you insane?"

"With all their lovey-dovey issues,  _yes,_ " she practically groaned in response, rolling her eyes.

"Wait- what?"

"You'll see in a second-"

She was cut off as another pair of arms made their way into their hug. "Hunk! My bestest buddy!" Lance shouted happily.

"Welcome back, Hunk," Keith said somewhere outside of their hug.

A few minutes later, Pidge spotted Allura zooming down the escalators too.

As Pidge greeted Allura by herself, Allura frowned quickly. "American airlines are something else," she sighed into their hug. "Never again, Katie, shall I put myself in that disgusting situation."

The two laughed full heartedly as they made their way over to Hunk, Keith, and Lance. Hunk looked like he was going to  _pop_ , while the two were holding hands, talking again.

"Pidge? Did you know they were dating?" Hunk questioned, exasperated.

"Of course I knew. They practically made a scene at The Altea when they finally confessed to each other. It was a tortures event."

 

**Author's Note:**

> Where else can you find me?
> 
> wattpad : starblossxm  
> twitter : starblossxm  
> insta : starblossxm


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